Dez. 28 `39 Hood goes down

[Zakalwe]

On my way from Wilhelmshaven to the assigned patrol-grid CF31, Recon told me about a Taskforce sailing SSW north of the Orkneys. I was West of this position at this point and decided to try an intercept. At around 0900 the watch called out a contact ahead. At a range of around 8,000 m I identified Hood escorted from three Tribals, running 18 knots. Their course would bring me into a nearly perfect firing position, so I ordered PD. At 0940 I fired three steamers at Hood, one aimed between the two bow turrets, one between the stacks and one into the stern at a range of around 900 m. Else my aim was a little off or they saw my torps, so one torp hit admidships, one slammed into the stern and one missed or didn`t explode. I ordered to go to down to 130 m slow and silent, was very nervous as one Tribal was nearly running directly over me, but fortunatly he didn´t hear me, I was only at 30 m when he ran over me.

The next 30 minutes or so I was pinged and DCed a little, but nothing serious, then they steamed away. I ordered PD again, saw the three DDs at around 8 km and Hood at 11 km, all steaming away with 18 knots. I surfaced and followed, reloading the empty tubes. I plotted Hood and came to the conclusion that Hodd was remarkable slower than 18 knots, even following with 12 knots shortened the range. So I attempted to overtake her, always not getting nearer than 8 km. To my amazement I realized the escorts steamed away with 18 knots leaving Hood which was sailing with around 10 knots behind (bloody AI ). I overtook her surfaced, went to PD and got into a firing position at around 1,200 metres, firing my only TII admidships. I hit her perfect, speed was going down to 3 knots, but she refused to sink. Following her submerged for another one and a half hour I decided to give her the Coup de Grace. I went ahead, turned away and fired one aft torpedo into her bow. Now she came to a full stop and a fire broke out in A-Turret. 10 minutes later, she capsized and sank bow first.

One bottle of Beck`s for the whole crew.

Olt. z.S. Suhr, U-48

edit: Real life addition: At 2200 I decided to play one hour SH3 before going to bed as the TV program was ****. I switched off the PC after above mentioned episode at 0130 am....